Admiring Donna Hay’s online store for its down-under style. Cohesive, modern, delicate… yummy! Her new book “fast, fresh, simple” is out now.

I’ve had my first major online shopping success! Amazon, sure. Restoration Hardware, JCrew, yes and yes. But a website offering limited time sales of hugely discounted designer items? New to me! What are your online shopping hotspots? I’ll let you in on my revelation soon.

As projects go, this one is a designer’s dream. Imagery of gorgeous home design and inspirational text are currently coming together for the first Boulevard Home and Design Annual. Boulevard Magazine has a long standing reputation for “capturing the personality, culture and vitality that is Victoria by focusing on the Arts, People, Trends, Food, Architecture and Design.”

The hard cover book is coming together as 100 pages of smart advice and exciting looks from Victoria’s top home industry experts. A unique local perspective for all things home. Equally as exciting is the Boulevard Home Contest:

WHO: A lucky Boulevard Home reader

WHAT: $20,000 spending spree at one or more Boulevard Home advertising clients, courtesy of Boulevard Lifestyles Inc.

WHEN: Draw January, 2011

HOW: Enter by purchasing your copy of Boulevard Home (one entry per book) or drop by their offices at 1845B Fort Street, Victoria to enter in person.

“Signs of life are good design elements”, says Daryll Carter in his book The New Traditional. It can be a challenge in our high-tech society to find a human trace. I think it’s always important to bring any design idea back to the basics, put pencil to paper, use your senses and work with what inspires you.

Carter also makes a statement that rang true with me regarding client relationships. “I always know when my clients and I have reached the defining moment in our relationship. As in any relationship, you have to feel out your partner…. What a relief it is when everyone finally gets comfortable. Nothing is more liberating than truthful, fluid dialogue. The first time a client says ‘I hate it’, I know there is trust. Nothing is more counterproductive than gratuitous deference.”

I think the fireplace treatment above (scanned from “The New Traditional”) is a concept worthy of a new home or a clever way to cover up an unsightly existing fireplace. I’d like a firewood nook to go with it, please.

About

“Bcc:” is an extension of Beth Campbell Creative, a Victoria, BC based design studio. Updated often, Bcc: was established to catalog and share beauty and great design in the form of everyday objects, beautiful places and culinary adventures. To learn more about Beth Campbell Creative and check out the portfolio, visit the main website at [...]more →